Account Management is an art – no, maybe not as in graphic design, but superb account managers are rare and exhibit professional and personal characteristics that can’t always be taught.
I believe some of my success this past year is due to my passion for my clients and my team. Being an account manager requires skills, heart, patience, boundaries, advocacy and long hours.
During this past year, I have had the pleasure to manage some great accounts and interact with great professionals.
A few things I have learned:
- Spell check is not always your friend!
- Organization is key.
- Support your team. The client is not always right. It is important to educate/inform the client on the theory and reasoning behind the design, content and/or marketing strategy.
- Don’t overpromise. Quick turnaround is not always possible. PLAN PEOPLE – EVERYONE SAYS THE DEADLINE WAS YESTERDAY!
Do you think you would make a good Account Manager? These are the type of people who do well.
- Account managers need to be detail oriented. Organization and planning is key.
- Good communication skills are necessary. You must be able to play nice with others.
- You need to know as much as you can about your client. Are you are able to understand and communicate your company’s products and services can help your client’s strategic goals.
- If the project does not go as planned and a client is upset, it’s up to you to fix the problem and come up with a solution.
- Some clients will be harder than others, so account managers need to be able to handle stress (medication is always a bonus). You may need to hand hold a client’s hand as you walk him or her through a project (but that’s our job).
- Finally, long hours may be required but I’m finding I’m becoming more efficient everyday.